Olympus E-PL8 vs Sony RX100 IV

On this page, we will be evaluating the Olympus E-PL8 and Sony RX100 IV, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the E-PL8 (16MP) and the RX100 IV (20MP) is pretty close but the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and RX100 IV (1") posses totally different sensor dimensions.

Body cameras now worn by bakery staff to deter stealing

The E-PL8 was brought out 16 months later than the RX100 IV which makes them a generation apart from one another. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony RX100 IV being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before diving straight to a detailed comparison, here is a brief synopsis of how the E-PL8 grades versus the RX100 IV in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL8 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery & Sony RX100 IV Gallery.

When you are planning to lug around your camera often, you're going to have to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL8 features external dimensions of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) while the Sony RX100 IV has specifications of 102mm x 58mm x 41mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.6") having a weight of 298 grams (0.66 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-PL8 and Sony RX100 IV in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are working with at that moment. Underneath is a front view scale comparison of the E-PL8 and the RX100 IV.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL8 and RX100 IV is 86 and 89 respectively.

Sometimes, its hard to see the gap in sensor measurements just by looking through technical specs. The graphic below will offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL8 and RX100 IV.

As you can tell, both of those cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-PL8 because of its bigger sensor will make shooting shallower DOF easier and the Sony RX100 IV will provide you with extra detail having its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop shots more aggressively. The fresher E-PL8 will have an advantage in sensor tech.